The Richmond Hill City Council approved a controversial redesignation Tuesday night of 28.5 acres on the Ford Plantation from single family to duplex in a unanimous vote that could potentially increase the number of homes on the affected acreage from 22 to 52.

Councilman Johnny Murphy recused himself from the vote because he owns property on the Ford Plantation.

Mike Haverty, who owns a single family lot and home adjacent to the area under consideration, known as Silk Hope, opposed to the redesignation. He retained Savannah attorney Jon Hart, who argued to the council that the application was not in compliance with the city’s existing zoning ordinance and the redesignation should be denied on its face because it lacked legal sufficiency.

Hart argued that it was in violation of the zoning ordinance to further subdivide a lot in a planned development and was just one of several reasons the request should be denied.

He further argued that the application didn’t include lot size, width, depth, or a definition to what the applicants called cluster homes, which he said essentially were duplex homes.

However, the action taken Tuesday night by the city council, fell far short of an approval for the subdivision and building of duplexes on the property. The approval was only the first step in what could ultimately lead to duplex, or cluster homes on the acreage.

The path to development and building of duplexes includes the necessity for preliminary and final platting. The process will be reviewed for adherence to the zoning ordinance requirements as to lot size, etc., at that time.

Speaking on behalf of the Ford Plantation, and in favor of the request was Paul Hamilton, who said that Haverty was the only Ford Plantation property owner who was opposed to the plan. Hamilton said the undertaking by the Ford Plantation would be of the highest standard as have all the undertakings on the high-end development been. The price point for the duplexes will be in the area of $750,000, he said.

Mayor Harold Fowler gave each side, pro and con, 10 minutes to state their position. Hart took all of his allotted time, while Hamilton spoke for less that two minutes.

After the council vote to approve the redesignation request, Hart gave Richmond Hill city attorney Ray Smith a letter preserving his client’s right to appeal Tuesday night’s decision.